jigokulogs | September 2022 Mingle!

September 2022 Mingle!

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The influx of fresh Lost Souls means the factions need to have a little welcoming party for them. So some recreational activities are in order. All Lost Souls will receive a message from their respective faction leaders with orders to go have some fun.

Shuten - WEENIES ON PARADE

Shuten Clan newbies will be summoned to the Arena, which has been set up with a very different kind of fight than usual. The members of the Shuten Clan do nothing by half-measures. Partying, drinking, and eating are all encouraged to excess. This time they're inviting new recruits to test their mettle in various eating contests. You'll need nerves of steel and a stomach of iron to succeed. Hot dogs, marshmallows, pizza, lobster rolls, breakfast cereals, rice, and more are all on offer.

See how much you can eat and try not to get sick! Competitive eating is a messy, disgusting affair, regardless of the emergency buckets stationed strategically throughout the building.

If you're feeling especially ballsy, you can take on the biggest onis and other youkai by teaming up with your fellow Shutens. They're all confident enough to take that bet.

Glory, prize money, and antacids to the winners. Shame to the losers – they'll be run through town in weenie costumes.

Better eat up 🙂

Tamamo - ALL NIGHT LONG

The newest Tamamo recruits are summoned to a local gymnasium. Strangely, rather than sports equipment laid out on the court, there are a number of light futons, blankets, and pillows. Everyone will be sorted into one of two yukata patterns – one purple and one blue – and sent to their respective sides of the court to lie down in bed and pull up the covers.

It is then that the referee will explain the rules of competitive pillow fighting. When the whistle blows, jump up and grab one of the authorized pillows at the center of the court. It's a game much like dodgeball, but the goal is to hit the opposing team's king with a pillow from your half of the court. Team members use blankets and sometimes their bodies to protect their king.

There will be a few rounds, and you can rotate who is king at your discretion. Protect them with your life! Or whatever. Star players will receive a bonus and a coupon to one of the best Tamamo spas.

When the competitive stuff is done, the sleepover proper will begin. There will be liquor, sodas, and light snacks for everyone while movies are projected onto a screen late into the morning. The movies range from classic dramas and romances to outrageous yokai comedies.

Sutoku - GROSSERY GANG

The Alliance has found themselves in the possession of an entire truckload's worth of reject children's toys. Ever the opportunist, the Daitengu has assigned the project of inventorying and trashing the particularly offensive ones to the new guys.

Of course, you're expected to play with a few of them as well. Maybe one of them is decently fun, and they could sell the rest, you know? Many of these toys are gross out bathroom humor in nature, and spit water randomly at anyone who loses their round. The Daitengu has thoughtfully provided a selection of alcohol to make this game a little more adult friendly. Toys that lack the appropriate spitting mechanism can still be played over shots, really, go nuts.

While you 'work', there will be plenty of motivating music piped into the warehouse. The sound quality is not great, but they tried?

Everyone who sorts through a decent amount of toys will get a little extra pay, although who is really paying that much attention to who's doing what here?

Credit where it's due: We turned kids toys into drinking games

Enma - BREAKING THE ICE

Welcome to the Department of the Enma. New Lost Soul recruits will be summoned to a large conference room in Kaigo no Bou, which has been outfitted with a variety of buffet table offerings and tables which seat between 5 - 6 people comfortably. You are invited to fill your plates at your discretion, the craft services people are used to feeding bottomless yokai stomachs and the food will not run out.

Clipboards with a variety of icebreaker questions have been provided at each table. The pens have assuredly been firmly affixed to the clipboard. Please return them together.

Every 30 minutes Captain Shiki will blow her whistle to signal that you are to migrate to another table with fresh companions. You are, indeed, being forced to get to know your coworkers, lucky you. This isn't tedious at all.

Pick a few of the questions below to answer, and get chatting. Or Captain Shiki may come over to stare at you with intense disapproval. You can't get away with just zoning out to that sweet smooth jazz playing overhead!

1. If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the future or in history would you visit? 2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? 3. If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save? 4. If you could talk to any one person now dead or alive, who would it be and why? 5. If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which would it be and why? 6. If you were an animal, what would you be and why? 7. Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like? 8. Name a gift you will never forget? 9. Name one thing you really like about yourself. 10. What's your favorite thing to do in the summer? 11. Who's your favorite cartoon character, and why? 12. Does your name have a special meaning and/or were you named after someone special? 13. What is the hardest thing you have ever done? 14. If you are at a friend's or relative's house for dinner and you find a dead insect in your salad, what would you do? 15. What was the best thing that happened to you this past week? 16. If you had this week over again, what would you do differently? 17. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about 'God'? 18. What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? 19. If you could change one problem in the world today, what would you like to change? 20. What book, movie or video have you seen/read recently you would recommend? Why?

All Factions - THE GIFT OF SONG

Did you all enjoy having some of your wishes granted? Well, so did a flock of those annoying magpie! They asked for the gift of music. These feathered nuisances, however, have fallen in love with an old school metal band. That is all they will be singing for the foreseeable future! Different members of the flock have taken up different instrumentals and vocals for the track, spread out across electrical wires and rooftops, singing their favorite rockin' tune to the skies!

Lost Souls have been asked to please catch them and get them to knock it off, they are truly annoying everyone, across all factions.

Should you catch these musical magpies, and not one of the other clans, they will tell you their sorry tale! They love this band, but the group broke up years ago. All the magpie want is for their favorite old dudes to be reunited to jam with them, one more time!

The old dudes are out there in the city, but who knows why they broke up and if they can even be convinced out of retirement. Good luck, if you succeed your boss will give you a favorable bonus, which would be a great boon to a newbie just getting settled.

In the meantime:

Shabadabadia
Shabadabadia
Babababa
Babababa
Babababa

Welcome to the IC mingle!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(oh, was she having any difficulty concentrating? here's one more.

it's more out of boredom than out of the need to really help her, it feels a tad bit good to see her show a bit of despair... but here, let's try to fix it. he has an extra pair of earphones in his pocket, and a connector. he's bought it not long ago, building joint activity objects since toman will soon all come under the same ceiling.

sitting, he just puts his phone on the table after setting it into a more instrumental, classic tune. not what he would listen to, mind her, but he knows it's neutral enough to help her think, and he tosses her a pair of earplugs before setting his own.)

[She lifts her head the moment she catches someone in her periphery, unwilling to be seen having a laugh by any stranger, but it's too late –– here he is, and he's not even a stranger at all. Her expression sobers up, at least temporarily, while she puzzles out what he's here for.

She picks up one of the earbuds and holds it up to her ear. Politely surprised:]

I wouldn't have taken you for a classical fan.

Not really. I read once that it makes you smarter, though - you're smart, so I thought it'd be for you.

(a simple shrug of his shoulders, taking one of the books she already put away and opening at a random page. words, words, words -- difficult vocabulary... he even pulls back a little bit, blinking.)

... You're definitely smarter than I am, can't understand any fucking word on this.

[Kim listens to that with the slightest pinch to her brows. Her reply is crisp even when her eyes soften.]

It’s not smarts, just studying.

[She sits forward, craning her neck to see what he’s struggling with. It’s dense to her too, but it’s a language she understands, even if the approaches are different. She remarks:]

You should probably spend some time with it. It might be useful.

It's not for me. It's not a life I want to pursue.

(he notices how her expression is no longer totally in tune with her tone. maybe she'll notice, too, he's calmed down around her as well. perhaps, the beginning of an understanding?)

Did you want to do anything else when you were my age?

You don't have to make it a career to make use of it.

[Take as you will. She leans back again, going back to her pen and notes. She can work as she talks.]

I probably had a moment where I wanted to be an actress or something like that.

I'd leave it to the professionals. I stay in my lane.

(whatever lane that might be.)

Actress sounds fun, actually. Much more than...

(a squint towards the book he has open.)

"Certiorari".

[She pauses, glancing at him briefly. It does cross her mind that some of the worst people she's ever known are brilliant legal minds, either because they practice it or because they're adept at getting out of it. Explaining that feels impossible.]

A cert is just a supervisory writ. [A little shrug.] Sometimes what's fun doesn't actually get you anywhere.

Depends on what 'anywhere' means to you.

(he'll never achieve much in the ways society deems respectable, he knows that for a fact. that's never been his goal, nor his ambition.)

Just living a happy, fulfilling life is enough.

I wouldn’t do this job if it didn’t give me that.

[Disillusioned as she often is with the law, it’s something she loves. Being in the Department has been a welcome tether to that, all things considered.]

Are you happy?

Then there you have it. It's probably fun for you in that case.

(or so he expects. there are nerds all around, after all, and different strokes for different people. the question does bring a smile to his lips, though.

no. he's not exactly a bundle of joy, but it has nothing to do with his lifestyle.)

I lead and protect over a hundred people. I take care of mine and I have fun with them, too. I'm as happy as I could be.

(phrasing.)

[He gets two raised brows. She remarks with some levity:]

Almost convinced me.

[Her attention drops back down to the page, where she’s quietly tapping the tip of her pen, leaving a cluster of little blue dots.]

Which part? The founding members of the Manji are almost all here. You can ask them.

(can't imagine it isn't the part she's remarking, but alas. from his pocket, he's leaving her a taiyaki, while unwrapping his to his own lips.)

... Which reminds me. Since your danger compass is kinda broken, there's someone you need to keep away from until I tell you otherwise. I'm dealing with it.

[The look she gives him says don’t bullshit me. His pivot to danger, on the other hand, immediately makes any potential happiness irrelevant.]

Who and why?

His name is Kazutora. He's a kid my age, pretty, blonde highlights, neck tattoo.

(his expression is firm, still neutral, while empty eyes watch her.)

He's the one of us who's been through the system for murder. Right now, he's highly unstable, and he's in his worst mind. Avoid him, he would hurt you without any hesitation.

[She frowns. It's difficult to feel afraid of the idea, given the sheer size of the city, but maybe there's some truth to her danger compass being broken.

Carefully:]

Is there some reason you think I'd encounter him?

You found me and you annoyed me on sight. Isn't that enough reasoning?

(a munch, a chew, a tap on the table so she takes hers.)

[She glances at the taiyaki and takes it; she's never tried it before, but trying new foods has never been an issue for her. Somehow, thinking about highly unstable teenagers with murder on their rap sheet doesn't inspire her to enjoy it. It lingers in her hand.]

I'm asking you if he'll go after people you associate with.

No.

(because mikey's the target, the manji might be collateral - but kazutora has nothing to gain from harming a lady mikey probably doesn't care about that much when what he really wants is mikey's head.

and he's willing to die for it.)

I'm not warning you because you are specifically in danger. I'm warning you because you tick nerves, and if you per chance cross paths with him, he wouldn't stop his kick.

[With her stomach churning and a considerable amount of effort put into looking calm at this turn, Kim nods. She decides it's not her problem until the guy makes it one.

This is not another Lalo Salamanca.]

And you? Are you going to be safe, "dealing" with this?

(while kim has to put effort, mikey's face is unreadable, not a shred of emotion, neither good or bad. he's saying it like they're facts, rather than anything else - nonchalance at its finest.)

There isn't a world where I'm not safe, Giselle.

(I aM ThE dAnGeR

ah. yes, reminds him:)

... Are you and your husband from the same point in time, by the way?

Mm.

[Depressing, to be so young and be in that position. She's still not sure if she can completely believe it –– all that, at fifteen years old? But the feeling must be real to him, no matter what.

She'll poke around, if she needs to. See who else from his crew his around.]

Roughly. Why?

(he wouldn't judge her for not believing it - after all, his name is unknown in the streets, and his reputation has disintegrated into nothing... and he is that tiny, with that face. mikey can't worry that much, she'll see he isn't lying eventually.)

All of us aren't. Do you think that has to do with anything?

I think that can make things complicated.

[There's no saying if it has meaning, but it's a wrench in the works.]

How far apart are you spread?

I'm ahead a few months from him. Another is behind an hour or two from him, and the others are two years ahead.

(and his treat is over. another one replaces it.)

the gift of song

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